St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-04-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Prom our Regular Correspondent.


brilliant feather in the cap of this Ad-
ADMINISTRATION. Probably no Democrat.
not even Samuel j. Tilden while living,
ever received such unstintcd praise
from the Republican press as has been
showered upon him during the past
week. Nothing has been done by any
member of Mr.. Clevelands Cabl-
net since it was organized more calcu-
lated to win popularity than is the act
of the Secretary of the Navy by which
the work of fortifying our seaports and
building ironclads is established on "A
solid foundation.
From every side his energy aud saga
city is applauded, the work he has done
to beguile bidders to accept offered
terms, and the ability he exhibits III di-
recting the general work OF his De-
partment. It-Ieally looks too as it the
name of Mr.. Whitney would be asso-
ciated in history with the building of
the American Navy. The response to
him was so prompt that the work of
fitting up the Washington Navy Yard
as an ordnance factory for the assem-
bling and completion of heavy guns
and steel forgiDgs, will be begun soon
and rapidly carried forward. Needless
delays can be avoided because it is
shown that the gun forgings and ar
NOR plates can be furnished in much
-, ha w SJnnnSnfi
For more than eighteen months
Secretary Whitney has been indus
triously devising the means that make
success possible. He has been study
ing the conditions of the problem-de-
termining the needs of defensive ar
NOR, gauging the impact Of projectiles,
fixing on tests by which tho Depart
ment will be governed, and making the
inducements as attractive as possible.
Since all the iron foundries of the
country are pressed with nnfnltiled
engagements for months ahead, at
high prices, some surprise was ex-
pressed that there should have been a
single bid for the millions Of dollars
worth of work that was proposed. But
&be proprietor of the Bethlehem com
pany foresaw that the boom would not
last, and that it would pay to work for
Uncle Sam even on more reasonable
terms, because his job would last for a
decade or SO, both summer and winter,
and his pay is sure.
It is to be hoped that there will be
no more lamentations for the present
over the failure of the Naval bills. At
least Secretary Whitney is satitied
with the outlook. He says the prob
lem which puzzled everybody is solved,
and that the work of fortifying coasts
and equiping ships is in just as good
shape as it would have been if the
Senate bills had become laws.
Since / wrote you the long discussed
Inter State Commerce Commission has
been completed, announced, comment
cd upon, approved-and now it is about
TO organize and go to work. The five
lawyers composing it, and who repre-
sent the States of Alabama, Illinois,
Michigan, New York and Vermont, are
practically placed in charge Of private
property valued at about seven thou
sand million dollars. This tremendous
responsibility is greatly increased when
it is remembered that almost the entire
internal commerce OF the country is
affected by the action of this new
court.
No one doubts the honesty of the
members of the Commission, and they
are all conceded to be men of ability,
but their labors will be complex and
comprehensive, the new law is vast
problem; every feature of its opera
lions more or less perilous, and what
ever is done, the Commission will be
criticised and opposed on every side.
The railroad men, shippers and travel
ers, producers and consumers are wait
ing to pour complaints, queries, com
and requests by the thou
sand upon the Commissioners as soon
as they are ready to receive them, and
will make their lives burdensome, of
course.
The effect Of the new law upon this
city will be pronounced. Practically it
gives the Capital new Government
Department. A large and important
bureau will be organized at once,
large clerical and official force will be
appointed by the Commission, legal
and other representatives of all the
railroads in the United States will be
drawn here, besides thousands of peo-
pie interested in questions brought be-
fore the Commission. Altogether it
will add greatly to the activity of the
coming summer in Washington.